The first steps to work yourself through when you have decided to take the step towards online marketing there are a few things you need to think about.
-Why do I want to market online?
-What do I want to market online?
-What do I know about marketing online?
If the answer is "I don't know", today is your lucky day. I will share some of the steps that I have learnt about online marketing through endless testing and tweaking.
YOUR WHY
Why do you want to market online?
Is it to enhance your offline business?
Being able to make money without leaving your home?
or...
Online marketing is easier than marketing offline, because online marketing takes care of itself and makes you money on autopilot?
If it's the last answer you're in for a big surprise. There is no such thing as EASY or AUTOPILOT in online marketing. Well, sure it is but not in the way many think. Online marketing is simple but not easy. Which means, it takes a lot of work to set it up and you need to be constantly tweaking and testing to maximize your efficiency and profits. I hope I didn't scare you off now. Online marketing is lots of fun and you could make friends all over the world.
YOUR MARKET/NICHE
So where do one start when you figured out why?
A specific market. Your Niche. Simple as that.
So, what is a niche and where do I find my market?
Well, there are a lot of places to find that. First of all. You'll want to target a niche that is actually profitable. What you don't want is to market a niche where no one is ever buying anything or a niche that pays very low. You want a niche that is in trend so to speak. It is what everyone is talking about and what people are interested in learning, using and purchasing.
For example.
Learning online marketing is a big niche with loads of people who are looking for information about it everyday. To find a monetizable niche you will need to look at the trends.
Ever seen the basket ball through the water hose?
Anyway, the trends is what people are interested in and what people are buying.
What are people looking for?
What are their main concerns?
When it comes to online marketing these are the most important questions to find an answer to. So you'll need to do some research. Did I say some. I mean a lot. You could basically say that online MARKETing is all about MARKET research. If you know what you're market desires you know what to MARKET to them. If you want to stay ahead in the online marketing game. Keep a journal on your daily activities.
1 year from now, you will have loads and loads of information that you could use. By then your online marketing business will be a lot different and you will have a different view on this. By then you will probably have forgotten what is was like when you wanted to learn online marketing. Why not keep a journal on you questions and utilize it when you decide you need to teach a spouse, friend or a new team member about online marketing.
What was the questions you had back then?
Well, it's easy for you now. They are what you ask today. So keep them written down as research for a later project and take notes on your struggles, issues and short comings when learning online marketing. Now, this is just to get you started so you could use it in the future.
What about now? Now is when you have your problems. How do you solve them and get going with your online marketing business?
Here it is...
YOUR SKILLS
You have a set of certain skills, I'm sure.
Are these skills relevant to marketing and business?
If not, you might want to consider acquiring a set of those skills before throwing yourself into doing business. Whether online or offline. The first thing you should do is to assess your skill tree. A simple mind map could do the trick or just a list with what you know. Rank them on how experienced and good you are at a skill.
Circle the top 3 skills you are most proficient in. Are that very good? Great!
Are they at all profitable or monetizable. Meaning could they make you money (with a little fantasy and imagination) If not, pick the next skill. That's your main focus to begin with. Now, underline the 3 bottom skills that you're not very or, at all proficient in but still is in context with your top skills. Those are the skills that you should focus on learning. 1 should be online marketing.
Apply the same rule as with your top skills but with the little tweak, Are they useful and do they enhance your top 3?
NEXT STEP!
Now, you have some skills that you are good at and some that you are going to focus on learning. With time you will have 6 skills that you are very good at.
Go through this article again and apply the steps.